Japan post office

By Stanley White TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s economy posted its longest continuous expansion since the 1980s boom as fourth quarter growth was boosted by consumer spending, and moved Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s revival plan another step closer to vanquishing decades of stagnation. The long run of growth is also an encouraging sign for the Bank of Japan, hinting that the economy may at last be building up momentum to lift consumer prices towards its 2 percent inflation target. Nonetheless, the lack of any inflation effect in the data and a decline in real wages for the quarter highlight the challenges still facing the BOJ’s efforts to foster a virtuous cycle of growth, consumer spending and business investment – a key element of the “Abenomics” policy. The GDP data comes after news that Abe’s government has decided to nominate Haruhiko Kuroda for a rare second term as Bank of Japan governor, a sign his ultra-loose monetary policy will … [Read more...] about Japan posts longest growth streak since bubble economy

TRAVELLERS looking for the best-value long-haul beach and city holidays this winter should go EAST, according to the latest look at how far your Pound stretches.Tokyo tops the list of the most affordable city in the Post Office’s annual Long Haul Holiday report, with Kenyan resort Mombasa the beach destination easiest on the wallet.The study compares the price of ten holiday essentials — from a cup of coffee and bottle of local lager to a three-course evening meal.Kenya is a great-value winter sun option, offering safari breaks as well as beach holidays. Sri Lanka still offers superb value for money, too, even though prices are up seven per cent on last year.The astonishing rise in popularity of Vietnam’s beaches, around Hoi An, has seen restaurant prices tumble.Combined with great prices for flights, with increased competition, it is my top tip for a great-value holiday this winter.Bali might take far longer to travel to but, once you are there, prices are still … [Read more...] about This winter travel East for the best-value beach and city holidays — from Japan to Kenya you’re pound will stretch far

Japan Post Holdings, which is 100-percent controlled by the government, runs a network of more than 20,000 post offices as well as the country's biggest banking and insurance operations. The Nikkei business daily reported that the government plans to release some 10 percent of the outstanding shares of each unit in an initial public offering (IPO). The group's net assets are estimated to stand at around 14 trillion yen ($116.73 billion). The three units could be valued at up to 700 billion yen, according to the newspaper. Announcement as early as Friday Japan Post president Taizo Nishimuro will hold a press briefing on Friday, when the offering will be announced, according to the Reuters news agency, quoting sources familiar with the situation. The privatization of the postal service has been in the works since 2005, but was stalled when the Liberal Democratic Party lost power in 2009. Now the party is back in power, it is expected to press ahead with the IPO plans. The … [Read more...] about Japan Post to go public

It's a tradition for young children around the world to send letters to Santa Claus with their wishes for Christmas. German children, however, practice a slightly different tradition. They often send letters to the Christkind, who is responsible for bringing the presents on Christmas. The Christkind is a symbolic representation of the Christmas spirit that is often depicted as a Christmas angel. Many of those letters land in a small town in western Germany called Engelskirchen. Translated, the town's name means "Angels' Church" - a fitting name for the seasonal home of a Christmas post office. The post office, located on the town's aptly named "Angels' Square," is one of six official addresses in Germany for letters addressed to the Christkind. The tradition started in 1985, when other post offices around Germany weren't sure what to do with letters addressed to the Christkind. "Since Engelskirchen was such a nice name, they ended up just sending them there," said Britta … [Read more...] about ‘Dear Christkind’: A German post office answers Christmas letters

Abe's visit will be the first by a Japanese prime minister since 2002 and comes just days after Japan's Cabinet approved a government proposal which allows the country's military to play a larger international role and aide a friendly country under attack. The move was welcomed by Canberra and Washington, but condemned by Beijing. The Japanese PM arrives in Australia on Monday after visiting New Zealand and is expected to attend a meeting of the cabinet-level National Security Committee and address parliament - the first Japanese leader to do so - and meet his counterpart Australian Tony Abbott. Both leaders are set to talk about how to bolster economic ties and deepen cooperation on defense matters. Abe will end his trip with a two-day stay in Papua New Guinea, the first visit by a Japanese prime minister in three decades. In a DW interview, Hugh White, professor of Strategic Studies at the Australian National University, says Abe's visit to Australia will be a chance for both … [Read more...] about Japan’s Abe embarks on ‘historic’ Australia visit

Alongside two dozen or so politicians, Aiko Shimajiri, a parliamentary secretary for the Cabinet Office, became the first high-ranking government representative to attend Takeshima Day, an event named after two rocky islets that both Japan and South Korea lay claim to, which has been staged since 2006. The event in Shimane Prefecture, which is the closest part of mainland Japan to the disputed islands, threatens to further damage relations between two nations that have a rocky past and a frequently fractious present. Prefectural Governor Zembee Mizoguchi was expected to deliver a petition demanding a solution to the territorial dispute later on Friday. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe did not take part in the event as he was in Washington DC, for talks with US President Barack Obama. It was not entirely clear whether he would have attended, although in the run-up to his overwhelming victory in December's general election, he did state that he intended to pay a visit to Yasukuni Shrine in … [Read more...] about Japan angers Korea by marking Takeshima Day

In Japan's neighboring countries, fear of rain carrying radioactive material from Fukushima is growing by the day. This week, over 130 kindergartens and elementary schools in or near the South Korean capital Seoul cancelled or cut short classes because of rain. Schools in remote areas where children have a long walk to class were encouraged to cancel activities. Outdoor activities were put on hold. According to South Korea's nuclear safety agency, a low level of radioactive iodine and cesium particles has been detected in rainwater this week. Although the amount is thought to be too small to cause any health threat, some parents posted complaints on Seoul's education office's official website. "Please order classes to be cancelled," one worried parent said. "I am worried to death about my child and can’t sleep." Many Koreans are now wearing face masks and the streets are reported to be more jam-packed than usual, as more people choose to drive rather than walk. South … [Read more...] about Japan’s neighbors alarmed by radioactive rain

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe named a close conservative ally with nationalist views to the post of defense minister on Wednesday as part of a cabinet reshuffle. Tomomi Inada is the second woman to hold the defense head post in Japan and was recently the policy chief of Abe's ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Japan's first female defense minister, Yuriko Koike, was recently elected the governor of Tokyo. WWII revisionist The 57-year-old lawyer's nationalist views could possibly disrupt relations with Asian neighbors, cautioned experts. "Ms Inada is an ultra-conservative politician and this will be taken as preparation for achieving constitutional revision and adopting a stern stance toward China," said Takashi Kawakami, a security expert at Takushoku University. The 57-year-old Inada supports Abe's goal of revising Japan's post-war, pacifist constitution which is viewed by some conservatives as a symbol of Japan's WWII defeat. She has also made remarks in defense of Japan's wartime … [Read more...] about Japan PM appoints nationalist to defense post in cabinet reshuffle

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Saturday concluded his first official visit to Japan by assuring the country of the United States' resolve to stick by a defense treaty amid heightened tensions in the Asia-Pacific region. The US-Japan security alliance was "a cornerstone for peace, prosperity and freedom" in the region, Mattis said after talks with his Japanese counterpart Tomomi Inada in Tokyo. Mattis appeared eager to reassure Japan that the US was still committed to the alliance after comments made by US President Donald Trump during his election campaign that seemed to suggest that Japan and South Korea were freeloading off a US security umbrella. "The US-Japan alliance is critical to ensuring that this region remains safe and secure - not just for now, but for years to come," Mattis told a joint news conference with Inada, noting that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had increased defense spending since taking office in December 2012, a move he said was "on the right … [Read more...] about US ‘committed to Japan’s defense’: US defense secretary

On Tuesday morning in Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov signaled willingness to work with the incoming Trump administration on a variety of issues from Syria peace talks to international terrorism. Over the course of two and a half hours, Lavrov took stock of the past year and indicated the country's foreign policy direction for 2017. Astana Syria talks Lavrov issued an invitation to Trump to join the upcoming Syria peace talks in Astana. The negotiations on 23 Janaury in the Kazakh capital were organized by Russia and Turkey, who lie on opposing sides of the Syrian conflict. The talks, which will include rebel leaders fighting against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, are intended to "consolidate" the current ceasefire, Lavrov said. Washington's original non-participation in the talks had been seen as a humiliation. In the past year, Russia positioned itself as the … [Read more...] about Lavrov expresses readiness to meet US President-elect Trump once in office